A year ago, Chris and I got to spend a month in Crested Butte, my haunt from yesteryear. Though kids were in tow, we managed to sneak in a few days of skiing, and CB had a decent base which was encouraging.

One day, with a five-hour window, we ventured to Schuykill Ridge with our friend John Barney.

It had been a few days since it had last snowed, and showers were in the forecast. Not far from town we found a few extra inches and were excited by any prospect of a face shot.

Schuykill is a blink of an eye or a pre-work run for many locals, it was something we savored in each step. John is someone I’ve come to trust over the years as a knowledgeable local who is not afraid to change his route based on what we see. He also offered the benefit of a willingness to share a beloved personal stash with us “has-been” locals.

We had a pleasant hike up, a nice little lunch as we watched the next front slowly approach, then I got to watch John drop in and almost disappear- under the snow, that is. Granted he’s a foot shorter than me so his face shot was a hip shot for me, but that still didn’t detract from the sheer bliss of a few hundred light, bouncy, effortless, champagne turns.

The right gear always helps- my now archaic Phat Luv’s, my need-to-be-worked-on Garmonts, and my new Deuter Cruise 26 SL. The pack carried nicely especially since I typically carry too much unnecessary gear and not enough essentials…nothing a few more days of practice in the backcountry can’t solve!

I’ve struggled to find a pack that has the shovel handy without impeding access to other gear, and the Cruise addresses this dilemma with the back panel rear entry. It’s not perfect, as I prefer top access to rear entry. I’ll have to give it another go or 2 (or 30) this year to dial that in.

The SL is a slim cut and specializes in women’s hips and dimensions. I’m a tricky size since I have the hips part but I’m tall with fairly wide shoulders. The SL seems to like a narrower shoulder width. Still, I think this fits better than a typical men’s or unisex pack.

I know I should be following the rocker trend for skis, but until I can afford to expand my already underutilized quiver, I’m coasting on my 8-year old boards but at this point, who cares?

–Ellie Booher (Family Ambassador). Ellie also blogs at her family site, The Booh Crew.

Ditch the kids and hit the backcountry!

• Learn all about the Cruise 26SL at Deuter.com
• Pick one up from Summit Hut
• Grab your own at Rocky Mountain Trail